'RTM Cook' at Newcastle

The Antipodean Mariner organised a 'school trip' instead of a Friday in the office, checking out 'RTM Cook' loading her second cargo - thermal or steaming coal - in Newcastle. Some of the original crew have changed, but the Chief Engineer, Second Engineer and Chief Officer from sea trials and delivery were still aboard, smiling at acquaintances remade.

Composite wide angle of RTM Cook, Kooragang Berth 7, Newcastle

Operationally she has worked well, lifting superior tonnages of iron ore and coal compared to standard Capesize vessels. Several technicians were standing on the wharf with us awaiting to board and fix small guarantee items.

View from the Compass Deck, waiting for the ship-loader

No.7 Hold, coatings looking good after 23,000 of iron ore being poured in

Three in a row...

Armed with notebooks and cameras full of things to improve on her sisters, we went down the gangway at 17:00 to fly home. 'RTM Cook' sailed in the early hours of Sunday morning with 152,595 tonnes of steaming coal for Map Ta Phut. Sea trials for PN67/'RTM Dampier' this week in Subic, though the AM is sitting out this dance. Next after 'RTM Dampier' is PN68/'RTM Zheng He' in November.

AM

RTM Cook sails away

'RTM Cook', formerly Hull PN65, sailed from Subic Bay at 18:25 last night for Singapore and then on to the Pilbara for her first cargo of iron ore. A brief timeline...

Technical Specification completed, April 2010

Contract signing, May 2010

Steel Cutting Ceremony, March 2011

Bilge keel block, April 2011

Rudder, April 2011

Building Dock No.6, October 2011

Floating out, March 2012

Sea trials, June 2012

The Last Word, July 2012

 One down, seven more to go...

The Antipodean Mariner

PN65 Blues

PN65 remains undelivered as the wrangling continues as to what constitutes a completed ship. During the UMS test, a four hour period when the Engineroom is in lockdown, this ship has to run at normal sea speed with no alarms and no engineers.

During this test, the standby generator kicked in when a main compressor started, lighting up the alarm panel and calling into question the design of the power management system.

No ship is ever perfect, and the objective is to ensure the list of defects is as small as is operationally conscionable for the operating crew. PN65 sets the standard for the following sister-ships.

Delivery is now scheduled for 2nd July, over a month past the contract date - not an auspicious start. First cargo will be iron ore for China, after a quick stop in Singapore to bunker. The AM is planning to join her in Australia for the first loading and see how she and the crew performs. Sea trial data has proven speed, deadweight and the performance of the main engine. With the valve and fuel pumps on the engine  hydraulically actuated, there is no rhythmic clatter of camshafts. The engine and turbocharger just roar.

Now that the AM has learned how to insert clips, a short sequence as PN65 returns to the Yard in June after trials.

AM

Ship models

When the AM's company signed up for eight brand spanking new ships, each contract included a 1:200 scale ship model. We decided to take a credit for four of the models for a paltry $2,000 a ship - a decision the AM now regrets.

The model maker has sent photos of the completed models ready for shipment to the corporate offices in Melbourne, London, Singapore and Montreal.

Faithful to the design, they are a work of art.

AM

Sea trials diary Friday 8th/Saturday 9th June

Friday's schedule went out the window as speed trials, which were to be completed by Thursday afternoon, were still going on in the small hours of Friday. The team in charge of this test has been at their station for 24 hours and everyone was getting grumpy as the expected results were not materializing at the end of each speed run.

Steaming out past Grande Island

The trial schedule called for the ship to make two runs (one North then one South) over a measured 2 nautical mile distance after making a run up of 5 miles. What the test team was doing was running a 30 mile leg, then the taking the speed by GPS over the last 2 miles. The speed trials were consequently 28 miles apart in waters with different weather, tide and current influences. As much as the AM tried to argue that they had were making an 'error in principle', including getting the Korean Dock-Master/Captain to explain, they refused to change the test procedure. If the ship doesn't meet her contractual speed, the Builders are required to compensate the Owners through a 'liquidated damages' formula. Data will be presented next week for scrutiny.

The Anchoring trial went OK but the Blackout test, when the Emergency Generator has to start and carry the essential safety and navigation load, was a Fail. The offending component was cannibalized from her sister-ship PN66 and brought out on a tug on Saturday morning. With several critical items still a 'Fail', the majority of the Filipino workers were disembarked on to a tug back to Subic and spares and more food were loaded for another day at sea.

A tropical squall came in over the ship as we were doing the Anchoring Test. Nice cloud formation

Approaching the Yard, with sisters PN67, 68, 69 and 70 in Dock 6 (left)

With 13 days to go until Delivery there is still a lot to do, and the AM harbors doubts that she will make the scheduled date. Some of the unfortunate Koreans were going out again the next day (Sunday) for another sea trial. After 4 days of long hours,crowded cabins and snatched sleep, morale among the Koreans was low and we were happy to get back to dock, off the ship and into a hotel for a night's sleep.

Back alongside, the run for the gangway

AM and Ms AM, Subic Bay

The Antipodean Mariner

Sea trials diary Thursday 7th June

We are too far offshore for full connectivity so this will be a digest posting.

Good and bad news. Good news is that nothing has broken and the ship's systems are working normally. Bad news is that the monsoon weather has not played ball and we've lost about half a day grinding up and down the coast of western Luzon. The speed trials are supposed to take place in near-calm conditions, not a 20 knot Southerly, and the Yard seems to have stretched out the runs into the evening when the winds ease.
Upshot for the Owner's team is all day waiting for the speed runs to be called and now an all-nighter to finish them and the manouevring tests. After the speed runs, we turn the vessel to port and starboard on full rudder, zig zag and finally crash stop (Full Ahead to Full Astern) at 14.75 knots. Better done in daylight but we have to try and pick up time on the programme.

Once the high drama is over, the pace returns to the more sedate pace of checking that the automation will run the Main Engine and services for 4 hours with no alarms.

Yesterday, the AM had to board a very ropey old tug to read the draft and verify RTM Cook's displacement. Hairy moments jumping off the Pilot Ladder as the tug rose and fell in the monsoon chop. At a sea trial displacement of 109,526 tonnes of ship, ballast, fuel stores and crew RTM Cook is ready to enter her
Friday 8th June 01:50LT
AM is waiting in the Officers' Mess for the 02:30 call and the second leg of the full power speed run. The vessel is running with 15 knots of wind astern and has picked up her skirts to 16.2 knots. However, the work programme is in tatters just 6 hours after having been revised by the Yard's Trial Director. We should have been into the manouevring tests by now but the performance is not meeting expectations and another 90% power run is being discussed. As she is not our ship yet, we cannot decline...

Despite everything, it's a beautiful moonlit night off Manila, Bataan and Subic. Lots if ships and fishing boats to negotiate while maintaining minimum course changes which impact on speed. Had another ship call up and grumble for passing him at 4 cables.

Photos of draft check for sea trials displacement, NACOS ECDIS electronic chart and radar, turning for the next speed run. More to post when AM is back in InternetLand.

Antipodean Mariner

Draft check to verify her displacement for sea trials

Turning to port at 15 knots for the next speed run

NACOS Platinum Radar and ECDIS Electronic Chart display

RTM Cook Naming Ceremony

The Naming Ceremony for 'RTM Cook' was held in Subic on Thursday 31st May.

Unveiling of her name

Dignitaries smiled, horns were sounded and lunch was enjoyed in the Yard's VIP Wing before the Guests were returned to Manila by helicopter.

Ice sculpture of RTM Cook

AM will be getting on a plane, returning to the Yard on Monday for second sea trials starting on Wednesday 6th June. There will be no delivery ceremony in June though still lots to do to crew, store, commission and register the ship for her first voyage.

Antipodean Mariner

Doosan MAN B&W 6S70ME-C

The main engine selected and installed to PN65 and her sisters is a MAN B&W 6S70ME-C8 Tier II slow-speed diesel.

MAN B&W 6S70ME-C on the test bed

To explain the acronyms;

MAN B&W: The merged entity of MAN (Germany) and Burmeister and Wain (Denmark) are one of the leading makers of slow and medium diesel engine for power generation and ship's propulsion. MAN B&W are primarily engine designers and license their engine designs to individual engine manufacturers, in this case Doosan of Korea. MAN B&W maintain a global parts and service network for after-sales support of their engines, and will be the primary contact point for the ship's technical managers in service.

6S70: The main engine has 6 cylinders (6), Super Long Stroke bore/stroke ratio (S) with a 70cm bore size (70). The piston's engine's stroke is 2.8 metres.

ME-C: The 'E' in the nomenclature indicates that the engine's exhaust valves and fuel injection is electronically controlled using a high pressure, engine-driven hydraulic system and actuators. The electronic control system provides variable control of the engines parameters compared with camshaft driven exhaust and injection (MC-C engines) and allow the engine to be tuned for lower emissions and better fuel economy. The '8' show the engine is the Mark 8 model of the series. Tier II shows that the engine meets the IMO Tier 2 emissions standard for Nitrous (NOx) and Sulphur (SOx) oxides. Ironically, in meeting Tier II NOx/SOx, the engines emit more greenhouse gasses (CO2) than Tier I engines, as some of the exhaust is re-burned back through the engine. Thank California's smog regulations for this little anomaly...

In service and with real-world residual bunker fuel oil, these engines will consume about 65 tonnes a day at 14.5 knots plus another 2.5 tonnes for auxiliaries and generators. Maximum rated at 19,620 Kw output at 91 rpm, the engine is optimised to deliver 15,750 Kw in service for a service speed of about 14.2 knots. Sea trials scheduled for mid-June will prove the vessel's contractually guaranteed speed with the calculated speed/power curve and allow the AM's company to benchmark the unmodified propeller with two sister hulls with Mewis Duct and Prop Boss Cap Fin energy-saving devices.

Antipodean Mariner

Sea Trials Diary - Monday 21st May

AM is back in Manila for a day before heading back home. Key components of the Main Engine have been opened up for inspection and corrosion, as a consequence of the water contamination, has been found on bearing surfaces and in the oil channels.

Corrosion on the inside of the lube oil pipes

The inside of the pipes are not coated on the basis that they will be immersed in lubricating oil for their working life.

Bearing pin with corrosion on the load-bearing surface

The Main Engine manufacturers are mobilising a team to polish the bearing surface 'in situ', which will take another week alongside. In the meantime, work is continuing on finishing work and painting before the naming ceremony at the end of this month.

It now seems unlikely that the AM will see PN65 undergo her sea trials, but another seven to go...

AM, in Manila

Sea Trials Diary - Tuesday 15th May

Out of date sequence with the Wednesday to Saturday Postings:-

With only one day to go before putting to sea, the level of activity has increased to fever pitch with bedding and provisions being loaded for the 160 Yard, Class and Owners people who will be joining tomorrow.

RTM Cook, looking back at RTM Cartier

The navigation system has been run up this afternoon to make sure that we will have functioning equipment before leaving the dock. Unfortunately the ECDIS software has not arrived and we will be on paper charts. All of the housekeeping items, such as galley equipment, provisions, bedding has been loaded and extra liferafts.

A final pre-meeting will be held with the Builders in the morning to verify work to be completed tonight, then into the harbour for ballasting to out trials condition. We will be benchmarking this unmodified vessel to two sisters with Mewis Duct and Prop Boss Cap Fin.

AM

Sea Trials Diary - Wed 16th to Sat 19th May

16th May
The ship was ready and we left the fitting out dock at 0930 for anchorage off Subic Bay. The first job has been to test the Ballast Water Treatment System in live condition. The system is designed to kill waterborne greebies and the test required the filling of the Forepeak tank and No.6 Cargo Hold. Water samples from the sea were taken (with live organisms) and compared under a microsope with the lifeless water samples from the tanks - a Pass!

Ballast Water Treatment control screen

After checking the vessel's displacement and draft, we have put to sea to run the main engine progressively up to full revolutions. The magnetic compass will be swung and adjusted tonight before stopping for engine checks in the small hours. AM has been on the bridge with the Master and Chief Officer playing with the port radar (still no electronic charts) while the Korean Dockmaster navigates the ship from the starboard conning console.

Tomorrow morning will be the speed trial and navigation equipment tests. Fortunate to have been allocated a cabin with only one other, maximum sleeping arrangement is 20 in the small gymnasium.

Owners Team dockside

Testing for hydrogen while ballasting No.6 Hold

At anchor taking on ballast

Night bridge

Emergency muster for all hands before sailing out

Thursday 17th May
We spent the night at anchor following an unwelcome development. A visual inspection of the Main engine after 3 hours of slow running found water and emulsified lube oil in the crankcase. The Main engine has a charge of 44,000 litres of lube oil and water has entered the system from somewhere. The Yard's engineers are checking the lube oil system for the source of the water. Lube oil is being run through the purifiers to remove the emulsified water. Many unhappy Koreans.

While we wait, the stagger test - where alternate tanks are ballasted to check bulkhead welds and hull strength - is being done. This was scheduled for the end of trials and we were to leave the ship to fly home. Nothing for the AM to look forward to except mealtimes for the next 24 hours. Oil samples have been taken off by tug for analysis and measurement of the water percentage.

Friday 18th May
Completed the bulkhead inspections and adjusting ballast for the final checks of the cargo holds. The Pilot will board in the morning and we will slowly steam back to the Yard. Work will start on cleaning out the Main Engine lube oil system for another sea trial later this week and to try to determine the source of the water. The small number of 'rats and mice' jobs have been signed off but little else to show for the last three days.

Saturday 19th May
After consulting the Main engine makers, it has been allowed to run the engine at 'Dead Slow' (35 rpm) back to the Yard. The anchor was raised at 0700, 0830 the Rescue Boat was deployed (a trials test) and we were back alongside at 10:00. The Builders will flush new oil through the Main engine and try to find the source of the water. Tomorrow, there will be a joint inspection of the new engine for any damage and second sea trials are scheduled for Wednesday 23rd May.

Launching the Rescue Boat

Coming back alongside astern of PN66/Cartier

Easing alongside

The Antipodean Mariner

Sea Trials Diary - Monday 14th May

After a very fast trip up to Subic Bay by by car this morning, the sea trials team arrived at the Yard at 10:30 and had a chance to see the 'babies' lined up on the quay.

RTM Cartier (left) and RTM Cook (right) on the Fitting Out Quay

'RTM Cook' underwent her Inclining Experiment today and was off limits to all but the Senior Officers and one Supervisor for the day. We were left to our own devices to explore the vessel under construction in Dock 6 - PN68/RTM Zheng He and PN67/RTM Dampier. We were lucky to witness the engine for RTM Zheng He being installed though missed the moment of lowering into place using the 600T gantry crane.

Yard workers unshackle the lifting rig from the Main Engine

One of the hanging conrods awaiting connection to the crankshaft

PN66/RTM Cartier is at about the same state of fit-out of as RTM Cook was at the last blog posting.


A mystery ship here is 'Ocean Corona', a 180,000 DWT Capesize lying at anchor with a very visible tide mark on her hull. She arrived in Subic fully laden on 14th April after loading Saldanha Bay, South Africa. It looks like she has flooded one of the forward ballast tanks - grounding or hull failure? She is back at near even keel but her hull betrays that she has been 'down by the head' for some time.

Ocean Corona at anchor

Well down by the head?

'Ore Fabrica' lies at anchor as well, riding high in the water. No ValeMax on the horizon or due in Subic Bay according to Lloyds Maritime Intelligence.

Ore Fabrica seen from RTM Cartier

The Antipodean Mariner

Sea Trials Diary - Sunday 13th May

The Antipodean Mariner is in Manila en route to Subic Bay for sea trials of PN65, to be named 'RTM Cook'. As this is going to a week-long comissioning trial and there are going to be LOTS of photos, I'll try to post daily subject to internet access. To set the scene, Owners Representatives are flying in from Australia and Glasgow for the trials, which will take place in the waters to the west of Subic Bay. About 150 Yard, Class, Manufacterers Technicians and Owners Reps will be aboard, necessitating 4 to a cabin (or more). The goods news as Owners Reps, we get the best (Senior Officer) cabins up on D Deck under the bridge.

On arrival last night, the Yard issued a new delivery date and advising that insetad of 31st May the vessel will be handed over on 8th June. Some reshuffling of the vessel's first cargo is required now as we'll be about 8 days late on the current laycan.

The Inclining Experiment (to ascertain the vessel's centre of gravity) will take place on Monday, for which all the scaffolding and Builder's equipment has to be removed. On Tuesday, the vessel will be prepared to put to sea on Wednesday for three days of testing underway before returning to Subic on Saturday for two days of tests at anchor.

AM

The Cape Project

PN65, the first ship of the series, is three weeks away from sea trials, and the Antipodean Mariner will be back 'on the water' for a week in May while she is speed trialed, zig-zagged and crash stopped. Using a mash-up of photos taken over the past two months, PN65 and PN66 are now both afloat and fitting out. The scale of production, as the Graving Dock is filled with four ships under simultaneous construction, is spectacular.



From the bridge of PN65, the nine holds stretch out and the MacGregor hatch covers are fitted.



PN65, where the Yard has fitted a gangway to allow direct access the engine-room



Taken earlier in 2012, PN66 on the far side has her engine-room fitted out and in the foreground sister-ship PN68 rises from the dock floor

Less than two months later, PN66 floats out to join her sister at the fitting out quay.

AM

RTM Cook launched

PN65, now ready for launch as ‘RTM Cook’, has had her second taste of the sea and has moved to the fitting out dock. The launch was delayed by a few days due to last-minute work to one of the other vessels in the dry dock. PN66 moved to the front of the dock and the keels for PN67 and PN68 were laid.

'RTM Cook' with fenders rigged and ready for float out

'RTM Cook' with PN66 ready for float forward


Flooding the dock


Yard and Owner's Representatives witnessing the safe launch

‘RTM Cook’ is about four months away from sea trials and work will now focus on commissioning the systems installed during the dock construction. Launchings are no longer the grand affairs of ships sliding down greased slipways with flags streaming and whistles blaring. A little less than two years have elapsed from first visit to the Yard to launching of the first ship.

The Antipodean Mariner